Gatomon (Adventure)
Gatomon is a character in the Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02 anime who appeared as the partner of Hikari "Kari" Kamiya. "Gatomon" is also the name that all members of this particular Digimon species share, and there are several different Gatomon that appear in various Digimon anime and manga series. The Gatomon of Digimon Adventure also appears in Digimon Adventure/02 related movies, as well as manga and video games set within that continuity. Unlike the other Chosen Digimon in Digimon Adventure, Gatomon spends most of her time in the Champion stage, instead of the Rookie stage. Appearance Gatomon appears similar to a white Egyptian kitten, with large yellow and orange striped gloves with black claws sticking out of it. The data for these gloves were copied from SaberLeomon. In the dub, she speaks in a soft, drawling voice. The Japanese version, however, has Gatomon in a much older voice to reflect her maturity as a Champion level Digimon. As Salamon, she acts more child-like, similar to a typical Rookie level Digimon, while as Gatomon she acts more like a teenager and as Angewomon she acts like an adult. However, in the Japanese version she behaves maturely even in her child level at times. This particular Gatomon also bears red X-shaped scars on her left paw under the yellow gloves from when Myotismon beat her because he disliked her eyes. Her name, "Gatomon," comes from "gato", which means "cat" in Spanish, Greek, and Portuguese, whereas "Tailmon" is derived from the word "tail". Background ]] Gatomon was created along with the rest of the DigiDestined's Digimon, as part of a project to help balance the good and evil in the Digital World. When she was still a Digi-Egg connected to the Crest of Light and the Digivice, the Dark Masters attacked the facility where she is housed, and Gennai fled with the eggs in hand. During the escape, Gatomon's Digi-Egg fell and became separated from the rest of the Digimon. She later hatched into Nyaromon, and constantly waited for someone she was programmed to bond with. When she later digivolved into Salamon, she searched for that person instead of passively waiting, but found Myotismon. He took her under his wing, but during that time he routinely abused her, causing her to forget what she had been doing. Salamon eventually naturally Digivolved into Gatomon and became one of Myotismon's lieutenants in his army of Digimon. During this time, she gained a rival in one of his other minions, DemiDevimon, as the two competed for their master's favor. Her only friend was Wizardmon, a friendly Digimon who Gatomon had once helped. Gatomon first appeared in Digimon Adventure as a malicious Digimon working for Myotismon. Gatomon accompanied Myotismon and his army in the assault on the Real World in the search of the Eighth Child, the predestined eighth member of the DigiDestined, who Myotismon was determined to destroy. Thanks to Wizardmon, Gatomon realized that she was in fact the chosen partner Digimon for the eighth member, Hikari "Kari" Kamiya. However, Myotismon also discovered this and captured Gatomon and used her to identify Kari. When Gatomon refused, Kari willingly gave herself up to stop the bloodshed, despite the protests of Gatomon and the other DigiDestined. The DigiDestined and their Digimon, along with Wizardmon, fought Myotismon to save Kari. During the battle, Wizardmon sacrificed himself for Kari. Gatomon and her partner was devastated by Wizardmon's death, and this activated the Crest of Light, enabling Gatomon to Digivolve into Angewomon to fight Myotismon. By absorbing the power of the other Digimon into one of her arrows, Angewomon had apparently destroyed Myotismon. However, Myotismon's entity endured and he became VenomMyotismon. After the following battle Gatomon accompanied Kari and the other DigiDestined back to the Digital World to fight the Dark Masters. Gatomon returned as a main character in the second Digimon season, Digimon Adventure 02. Four years had passed since the adventures of the original DigiDestined, and now, a human calling himself the Digimon Emperor was conquering the Digital World and enslaving the Digimon. Gatomon was reunited with Kari but had lost her Tail Ring while escaping a Unimon under the control of a Dark Ring. Without the Tail Ring's holy power, Gatomon's power was greatly reduced to roughly that of a Rookie level Digimon. In the last episode of the series, Gennai returns the missing Tail Ring to Gatomon. Apparently it was found by the forces of good. Gennai explains that the Ring served as a means to contain the dark energy of the Digimon Emperor's fortress, and that its power was what allowed DNA and Armor Digivolution to take place. The loss of the ring is also what enables Gatomon to Armor Digivolve just like the others, ignoring her Champion level. Video Games Gatomon is recruitable in ''Digimon Adventure: Anode/Cathode Tamer and Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer by saving Kari, is a fighter in Digimon Tamers: Battle Spirit Ver. 1.5, and can be used in whatever chapter Kari participates in Digimon Tamers: Digimon Medley, though she has a Rookie's stats. Attacks *'Lightning Paw' (Neko Punch, lit. "Cat Punch"): A lightning-fast punch *'Cat's Eye Hypnotism' (Cat's Eye): An attack that allows Gatomon to confuse and/or paralyze the opponent. *'Neko Kick' (lit. "Cat Kick"): A lightning-fast kick Other Forms The name "Gatomon" refers to only the Champion form of this Digimon. Throughout the series, Gatomon gains the ability to Digivolve into a number of more powerful forms (each with a different name). Unlike the rest of the DigiDestined Digimon, the Champion form is the most common form for Gatomon, as she is the only one able to maintain that level naturally. This is due to the fact she is the only partner Digimon who achieved Champion form prior to meeting her partner, in other words, naturally and without any help from a Digivice. For the other Digimon, Champion form is much harder to constantly maintain. In Digimon Tamers: Battle Spirit Ver. 1.5, Gatomon has the ability to digivolve into Ophanimon as her Mega form. In the CD Drama Armor Evolution to the Unknown, she can also digivolve to Butterflymon with the Digi-Egg of Knowledge. Additionally, in Yuen Wong Yu's manga adaptation of Digimon Adventure 02, Gatomon is shown in the Baby form of YukimiBotamon. Notes and References Category:Partner Digimon Category:Protagonists Category:Antagonists Category:Weekly Featured Articles Category:Characters in Digimon Adventure